PROJECT TRACKER: Rebuilding Taunton City Hall three years later

Today marks the third anniversary of the arson fire that closed City Hall at 15 Summer St.

The Aug. 17, 2010, attic fire was extinguished quickly, but water from firehoses badly damaged walls and ceilings. The result was the relocation of city departments and personnel into the former Lowell Maxham School at 141 Oak St., and to a lesser extent into TMLP headquarters at 55 Weir St.

Today marks the third anniversary of the arson fire that closed City Hall at 15 Summer St.

The Aug. 17, 2010, attic fire was extinguished quickly, but water from firehoses badly damaged walls and ceilings. The result was the relocation of city departments and personnel into the former Lowell Maxham School at 141 Oak St., and to a lesser extent into TMLP headquarters at 55 Weir St.

No one to date has been arrested. The state fire marshal’s office has said that the case is closed “pending any new information.”

Progress

City leaders have yet to decide on one of three design options — ranging in price from $12 million to $23 million — to rebuild and renovate the historic building.

Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr., said he’ll meet with the City Council in the near future to discuss options for financing the costly project.

“I’m as anxious as anyone else. I want to get it up and going. But it would be irresponsible to move forward until we know where we’ll get the money,” Hoye said.

The mayor, however, was adamant that city government would someday return to the building near Church Green.

“City Hall will go back downtown,” he said.

Hoye lamented that after three years the Summer Street edifice remains shuttered.

“It’s taken way too long,” he said, while at the same time acknowledging that it could be another three years before City Hall is restored and once again occupied.

The city has only collected $3.2 million of a $4.8 million insurance settlement and has filed a $6 million suit against former insurance carrier Axis Insurance and former agent Farrell Backlund Insurance Agency.